DOUBLE DRAGON
DOUBLE-HYDRA
FLORIDA - PK (-140)
UCONN +1
RAS
Connecticut/San Diego St Under 130
Arizona/Duke Over 146
Wisconsin -4.5
San Diego St +1
Power Play Wins
Duke -8.5
Steven Budin
100 Dime Florida
Sean Higgs
10* Wisconsin -5
Taking the Badgers here. Love Bo Ryans teams. Tough not to like Butler, off a huge upset, and with experience back from last years NCAA runner-up team. That being said, this is still a short number and we are getting the #4 scoring defense that loves to slow thing down. Both of Butlers game have come down to the wire, so they never feel like they are out of it. Again, Wiscy just wins games. I like their defense and FT shooting. Those little things gets you the W's this time of year.
5* Duke -8.5
Taking Duke here. Duke didn't seem that interested vs Michigan as they nearly gave back the entire 15 point lead they had build. But we are now in money time and Coach K will have the troops primed for a wire to wire game. Arizona is a one man show, and I can't see Derrick Williams doing it all here, not against Duke. Duke has the size inside to make Williams uncomfortable and make him work hard on both sides of the court. Duke should be able to open this up and cruise to a 12-15 point win here. Blue Devils get it done.
Dwayne Bryant
2 Units New Orleans Hornets -1.5
The Hornets have had FOUR days off to get to Salt Lake City, rest up, re acclimate themselves to the altitude, and get ready to take another step toward the playoffs. On the flip side, Utah just played in Oklahoma City last night, and had to turn right around and fly nearly 900 miles back home for this contest. New Orleans is a PERFECT 5-0 ATS this season when playing with three or more days rest, while Utah is 0-5 ATS in their last five games played without rest.
New Orleans should be hungry tonight. The Hornets are currently the #7 seed in the West, but they have a legitimate chance to climb up to the #5 spot (2 games back), or they could miss the playoffs completely (2.5 games from falling to 9th). Either way, the Hornets should be motivated for this one. Having to stew for four days about blowing a big lead (led by as many as 15 points) at home against Boston should only add more fuel to the fire.
Utah has now lost three straight. They're 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games, and 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a losing road record. The Jazz are also 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games against teams with a winning record. Utah is just not getting it done anywhere, and certainly not against teams of this caliber.
The Jazz just look like a team that knows they're all but out of the playoff picture. Five of Utah's last eight opponents have shot better than 50% from the field, while the Hornets have held 10 of their last 13 opponents to 96 points or less.
The Jazz are also beat up. Andre Kirilenko left last night's game in Oklahoma City in the second quarter with a bruised nerve in his left knee. X-rays were negative, but it's very doubtful that he'll play in this one. And if he does, he will not be at 100%. Devin Harris did not play last night and it's very unlikely he'll play in this game. Derek Favors also did not play last night and he's questionable to play in this one.
The line says it all. These two met in Utah on 11/24 and the Jazz were 4.5-point home chalk. Utah won by 18 points. They then met in New Orleans on 12/17 and the Jazz were 1-point road chalk! The Hornets whipped 'em by 29 points. That brings us to tonight, and now the Hornets are 1.5-point road favorites! That says it all for me.
Bottom line: The Hornets are hungry, rested, and motivated to lock in a playoff spot and improve their positioning. Utah is beat up, knocked down, and all but out of the playoff hunt. We're also getting the much better defensive team here in what is basically a "pick the winner" situation. Normally, I'd lay off a team that beat their opponent by 29 points the last time they met (I'm a big believer in the "embarrassment factor"). But in this case, it doesn't appear that Utah has enough to get any kind of payback. I'm playing NEW ORLEANS.
Texas Sports Wire
Butler +5
Florida -3
Chris Jordan
500* Duke -8.5
Anthony Redd
40 Dime San Diego St
40 Dime Arizona
40 Dime Butler
Al DeMarco
20 Dime Florida
Brett Atkins
30 Dime Duke
Craig Davis
50 Dime San Diego St
Matt Rivers
200K Florida
Joel Tyson
20 Dime Butler
10 Dime Duke
Derek Mancini
30 Dime Wisconsin
Trace Adams
2K Butler
Consensus Club
10 Dime Florida
Jay McNeil
40 Dime San Diego State
Chuck O'Brien
30 Dime UConn
15 Dime Butler Over
Teddy Covers
Duke -8.5
Florida -3
The Gold Sheet
Butler vs Wisconsin
Pick: Butler +5
I make the game pick em on my power ratings, so I am compelled to take more than 2 hoops with a Butler team performing the way it did when it made it to the title game year ago. Butler plays a lot like Wisconsin, rarely making mistakes, taking good shots and playing hard-nosed defense. Bulldogs' defensive ace Ronald Nored able to bother Badgers' strong PG Taylor, and Butler bigs can neutralize Wiscy's main big man Leuer. Butler has been an outstanding underdog, winning last 4 in that role.
Ben Burns
10* San Diego St
10* BYU Under
9* Butler Under
9* Jazz Over
10* Flyers
9* LA Kings
7* Predators
Gregg Price
10* Duke
ATS Lock Club
4 Units Duke -8.5
4 Units Florida -3